dumpster

noun

dump·​ster ˈdəm(p)-stər How to pronounce dumpster (audio)
variants or less commonly Dumpster
: a large trash receptacle

Examples of dumpster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Use trash cans and dumpsters or pack it out. Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 17 June 2026 Here are 12 ways to use old socks that don’t involve a dumpster. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 17 June 2026 Performing in front of dumpsters, Platt first intonated his voice in an operatic fashion. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026 The rear section, with Harlow still strapped in her car seat, launched like a missile before crash landing between a dumpster and a tree. Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dumpster

Word History

Etymology

dump entry 1 + -ster (originally in the trademarked name Dempster Dumpster, applied to mechanically loaded refuse containers produced by the Dempster Brothers Company of Knoxville, Tennessee)

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dumpster was in 1937

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dumpster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumpster. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster